Yes, we are really this excited for the Sidewalk Sale. It's awesome, ok?!

Well, friends, we got through the hectic, crazy fun that was July and now it's time to settle in for the long, hot haul that is August. Just kidding, it's still summer and that means more fun! Sure, it feels like you're swimming through molten lava each time you walk outside, but that's part of summer's charm! Or whatever. Anyway, there's plenty of great stuff happening at KU during August, so click READ MORE to find out what!

August is National Goat Cheese month! Popular goat cheeses include the Greek feta and the French Chavroux, but there are many types of goat cheese from all over the world. Go out on a dairy-centric limb this month and try some goat cheese!

August is also National Panini Month! Panini are great. Notice the 'are', because 'panini' is already plural! No need to say paninis! But it's cool, call them whatever, just eat panini! (Sidenote: 'panini' is not the easiest word to type accurately. I keep getting 'paninini.' Paninininininininininininininininininini. Also, I'm five.)

Important dates in August:

1-7 International Clown Week: Aw yeah, clowns! And ok, yes. Some people are afraid of clowns. Understandable, since some clowns are hella creepy. Most clowns, though, are really just in it because they love to make people laugh. Clowns are people too, you guys. Just give them a chance!

1 - Spider-Man Day AND International Beer Day: The ol' web-slinger is pretty cool and all, but he pretty much just can't hold a candle to a good brew. How about we compromise, Spidey? I'll watch the old Spider-Man cartoon while enjoying a cold one, sound good?

3-9 National Farmer's Market Week: Alright, Pittsburgh, let's Farmer's Market all week! Here's how you do it: Sunday in Squirrel Hill, Monday in East Liberty, Tuesday on the South Side, Wednesday in Carrick, Thursday in Bloomfield AND/OR Beechview, and Friday in Downtown AND/OR the North Side! Click here for more specific directions. Enjoy!

4 - Dom Perignon invents champagne: So, this story is a complete myth (propagated first by Perignon's successor at his abbey and in the late 19th century by champagne houses in advertisements) but it goes like this. A monk named Dom Pierre Perignon invents sparkling champagne at an abbey at Hautvillers. He is so excited about the wine that he runs to his brothers shouting, "Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!" Perignon was extremely instrumental in improving many aspects of wine production, but sparkling wine already existed when he started, as evidenced by the fact that he was actually trying to prevent wine from refermenting in the bottle, which causes wine to sparkle.

5 - National Mustard Day: Whether you're into Dijon, spicy brown, honey or plain old yellow, mustard is a fantastic condiment that everyone loves! Except for weirdos who don't like it, but whatever.

6 - Root Beer Float Day: Root Beer Floats may be the single best way to enjoy ice cream or soda. I mean. That may be an exaggeration on the ice cream side, but on the soda side, it's pretty spot on. And even though this is root beer float day, you can have floats with other sodas! Orange is an obvious choice for a liquid Dreamsicle. Dr. Pepper is incredibly delicious with vanilla or chocolate! And cream soda makes a BA float with black raspberry ice cream. I'm not an ice cream novice, is what I'm saying, I guess. Click here for a DIY guide to two different float philosophies!

8-11 National Hobo Weekend: Sometimes you just have to take the slow train to nowhere. But don't get rousted by the bulls! Or something!

8 - Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night: So this might be the best day (or night) of summer. Zucchini is notorious for growing more than any single person or family of people could possibly use ever. (I may be slightly exaggerating because zucchini is disgusting. But we're moving on!) So the point of this night is, obviously, that you take your excess zucchini (i.e. all of it) and secretly give it to your neighbors so that they also have excess zucchini! Genius!

10-16 National Resurrect Romance Week: Convince someone that romance is undead! What could go wrong?

10 - National Duran Duran Appreciation Day AND S'Mores Day: I am hungry like the wolf for some s'mores, am I right?

12 - Vinyl Record Day: This is a controversial statement, but I'm going to make it anyway. I'm not one of those 'omg, vinyl is so much better you guyz!' people. I'm the opposite of that. I do, however, get the nostalgia factor of vinyl and I agree that record players are pretty sweet. I'll make concessions, is what I'm saying.

the awesome card i made

18-22 Weird Contest Week: An Ocean City tradition of one full week of contests like Sandsculpting and Freckle contests! I want to go to there. And/or let's have our own weird contests!

22 - Hug Your Boss Day: I've mentioned before that the bosses here at KU are awesome. They still are quite hug-worthy. Hope yours are too!

24 - Pluto Demoted Day AND Vesuvius Day AND National Waffle Day AND Go Topless Day: Oh man, guys. What a day. Poor Pluto, demoted from planethood in 2006. What a shame. Not really as much of one as the Vesuvius eruption in AD 79 which killed 16,000 people, but still. A shame. You know what isn't tragic, though? Waffle and toplessness. Preferably simultaneously.

29 - More Herbs, Less Salt Day: Salt may enhance food's flavors, but herbs are where it's at, man. Whip out that parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme and make it happen!

Welcome to KU!

We are a 3rd generation, family-owned retail experience! We are unique, eclectic, sometimes irreverent, and sometimes weird (and we are referring to both the staff and the store). In short, we are as far removed from a "Hallmark style" cookie-cutter chain store as you can get. We want to share with you what makes us different, and why that's a good thing. We have been amusing ourselves and the Shadyside community for more than 40 years, and now its time to share the love.

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Here at KU we carry fabulous cards designed in house and from many companies across the country! Each company and line of cards brings another great facet to the world of card-sending as propagated here at KU! Come in today to find the perfect card for any occasion!